Miracle Monday (A Changed Heart)

Hello and welcome to another Miracle Monday! Today you will be hearing from three of my previous directors that I have had in my theatre group. Yay!

First thing first, if you have never read an M.M. before, we always ask three questions:

1. Was there ever a time in your life when you didn’t believe in miracles? If so, how did that change?
2. Do you have a story you can share when you knew God caused a miracle in your life?
3. How did this miracle change your life?

The first lady that I am happy to introduce is Havilah Weaver. Havilah is currently living in Arizona and enjoys directing the middle schoolers in MoezArt (a homeschool theatre program). Here is her story (Romans 12:12):

Q. Was there ever a time in your life when you didn’t believe in miracles? If so, how did that change?

A. “No.”

Q. Do you have a story you can share when you knew God caused a miracle in your life?

A. “Yes. My great uncle Eddie finally surrendered his life to Christ at 87, two months before he passed away.”

Q. How did this miracle change your life?

A. “This miracle was like I heard God say to me, ‘See, I never gave up on him either.’

The faithfulness of our prayers, letters, conversations, but above all-the testimony of unwavering love and forgiveness from his wife, through numerous infidelities-broke through and softened his hardened heart.

He was so frail, but he insisted on being baptized. So, the ministers/pastors of our congregation came to his house after church and baptized him in his bathtub.

God is good all the time.”

One reason I love this story is because it shows how God truly never gives up on us. He never stops fighting (for us) until the very last moment. He cries about everyone of His “sheep.”

The next woman is Teresa Calvert. Teresa also lives in Arizona with her family and has been a director through the years in MoezArt. Here is her story (Mark 4:11):

Q. Was there ever a time in your life when you didn’t believe in miracles? If so, how did that change?

A. “I don’t think so. I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, but I accepted Christ when I was 18, and I certainly have believed in God’s power to do anything since then.”

Q. Do you have a story you can share when you knew God a miracle in your life?

A. “I am not sure if you would classify this as a miracle, but no doubt it was God caused…

My first two years of college I was a business major, minoring in photography. The plan was for me to take over my parents’ photography business some day. I sang in college choir for fun.

In my second year, our choir sang in a big production with a full orchestra and three choirs, one of which was a children’s choir. The conductor was a big, imposing man, and I could see some of the kids in the children’s choir were intimidated, even scared of him.

I started making eye contact with some of the kids across the rehearsal room, smiling and trying to help them relax. During our breaks, I hung out with the kids being silly and joking around. After rehearsals, my roommate, who was in the same choir I was, would tell me I should become a music teacher. I thought that was a ridiculous idea, because teachers don’t make very much money. I also didn’t like the idea of working with kids.

My friend laughed at me because she could see how much I really did love working with kids. There was one little girl in particular in the children’s choir that I became friends with whose name was Brittany. She started bringing me pictures she had drawn and after our performance, she introduced me to her parents.

The day after the show, the Holy Spirit hit me hard. I couldn’t stop crying and in the blink of an eye, He changed my mind about my whole future. I knew I had to change my major to Music Education. It meant an extra year of college, but I got my degree in Music Education and started my student teaching.

To get to know the students better, I had them write a card with their name, age…etc. and something interesting about themselves. I stood in front of the class reading the cards and talking to each student about what they had written.

I got to a card that sounded very familiar. I checked the name and looked at the girl who wrote it. It was Brittany. She had written about being in the choir when she was in elementary school. We were both amazed and it was so much fun getting to know her all over again.”

Q. How did this miracle change your life?

A. “Not only did God use this event to change my career path, He taught me that He speaks to my heart; when He does, I can trust it and follow where He is leading. I have never, since that time, questioned if music education was the right choice. Even when it was very hard, I knew I was doing what God had called me to do.”

This is wonderful. What another great reminder that God is so good, faithful, and patient with us! His ways are so much greater than our own (Isaiah 55:6-13).

The last person we will here from Lisa Kollman. Lisa is currently living in Texas with her husband, and has also enjoyed different aspects of theatre during the years. Here is her story (Psalm 37:1-9):

Q. Was there ever a time in your life when you didn’t believe in miracles? If so, how did that change?

A. “I can’t say there was ever a time I didn’t believe in miracles; I just had a season where I struggled with believing there might be a miracle for me.

Then one day in my quiet time, God reminded me that His plan for me was better than my plan could ever be. It doesn’t mean there won’t be struggles; it just meant that I could trust Him and His plan for my life. His plan A is better than my plan B. That was huge because I thought my plan B was a pretty good plan, lol (I wanted a house full of kids…after nine plus years of marriage, God gave me one. She was a miracle).”

Q. Do you have a story you can share when you knew God caused a miracle in your life?

A. “I have seen a lot of big miracles in my life (surviving a bad car accident, the healing of my daughter from a brain injury…etc.), but a smaller miracle (is there a such thing?) is when I was first married.

There was a woman who took a dislike to me before she even met me. She knew my husband at work before we were married and was jealous. Her animosity towards me was felt the very first time we met. (It was even) Seen by others- it was very obvious. She wouldn’t even acknowledge my presence when we were in the same group for a work event. I came to really dislike her because of the way she treated me.

One day, I prayed, forgave her, and asked the Lord to change my heart and give me a love for her. I knew she didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. I wasn’t quite sure God would be able to change my heart towards her and even told Him that…but He did!

I was overwhelmed with and in awe at what God did. I genuinely began to care for her; that was a huge miracle (like I said, is there such a thing as a small miracle?)! Even the woman who detested me was surprised at my change of heart; it later opened the door for me to be able to share the gospel with her. We never became friends, but her animosity towards me changed. She was able to be friendly towards me whenever we were in the same room.”

Q. How did this miracle change your life?

A. “That miracle made me realize that God cares about the big (the car accidents and brain injuries) and small (a woman disliking me) things in my life. All I needed to do was ask Him for help and put my trust in His plan. He does miracles every day.”

I love this! God truly takes the ugly things in our lives and makes them beautiful. He brings beauty from ashes (Matthew 5:43-48).

Thank you to Lisa, Teresa, Havilah for answering these questions (Philemon 1:4-5)!

One thing I love about each one of these stories is they were all in God’s perfect timing; from Havilah’s grandpa being saved, to Teresa’s life being changed forever, to Lisa’s heart being changed and being able to share the gospel with someone she would have considered her enemy.

God continues to use the things in our lives to bring about the good things He has in store for us. Only here is the thing: it is all in His timing, which means He is patient in waiting for the right time in which to work in our lives (2 Peter 3:8-9).

If you are in a season of waiting, don’t give up hope (Romans 15:13). God is working and He will not delay (Psalm 70:5).

Alyssa Rasor (and your Heavenly Father)